This is where, as Kayb says, you "cringe, grit your teeth, and drop the raw flank steak in. It feels wrong. It really isn't."

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30 minutes later, Kayb tells us "fish the grey chunk of flank steak out." It'll get more attractive, we promise.

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Building the marinade: healthy doses of garlic and cumin.

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Plenty of lime juice.

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And fresh oregano -- though dried would be fine in a pinch (just decrease the amount by a third).

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This part is fun: tear the hunk of steak to bits.

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Old clothes, indeed -- time for a soak!

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Then really maul it to work in all the good stuff.

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And let the whole pile sit for an hour. The meat drinks up the flavorful marinade.

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Last stage: caramelize some onion threads.

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Then stir in the vaca and crisp it up.

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Handsome (finally).

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Surround with beans and rice, and fried plantains or tostones. And a daiquiri.

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Test Kitchen-Approved

Author Notes:I discovered vaca frita (literally -- fried cow) in a short-lived and long-mourned after it closed Cuban restaurant in midtown Memphis, a few years ago. I never had a clue how to make it until a couple of years ago, I was in South Beach and watched a street vendor make it and stuff it in a sandwich for a passer-by. Finally did some research, found several recipes, and played around until I got it like I wanted it. It's one of my favorite meals, in part because it can be prepped in advance. I like mine with fried plantains, coconut rice, and black bean and corn salad. - Kayb —Kayb

Food52 Review: We loved this recipe first for its cuts-to-the-chase name (a relative of the equally vivid Cuban favorite ropa vieja, a.k.a. old clothes) and for Kayb's lively narrative, with its cringing and teeth-gritting (see step two) -- but the bright, well-structured flavors kept us coming back. The ingredients are straightforward -- it's in the way they're applied. You build flavor at every turn, first boiling the steak -- yes, really -- with aromatics; then shredding it for a long soak in garlic, lime, cumin and fresh oregano; then sauteing with onions until crispy. And so we say, without the slightest hesitation: More fried cow, please. - A&M —The Editors

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2
pounds flank steak

2
onions

1
teaspoon salt

6
cloves garlic

1
bay leaf

1
teaspoon cumin

3
tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

juice of three limes

2
tablespoons neutral flavored oil

In This Recipe

Directions

Put about two quarts of water on to boil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bay leaf, one onion, quartered, the salt, and three of the cloves of garlic, smashed flat with the blade of a knife.

When the water boils, cringe, grit your teeth, and drop the raw flank steak in. It feels wrong. It really isn't. Boil until it's completely done, about 30 minutes.

Fish the grey chunk of flank steak out onto a cutting board. Strain the veggies out of the stock, and put it aside for future use.

When the flank steak is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding the gristly bits and any fat.

In a bowl large enough to accommodate the shredded beef, mix the lime juice, cumin, and the remaining garlic, finely minced. Add the beef and the fresh oregano, which you have minced. Give it a few good tosses to make sure the lime juice coats the beef shreds well, and go away and leave it to marinate for an hour or so on the counter.

Peel and halve the other onion, then thinly slice it. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat, add the oil, and the onion slices. Stir and toss until they're starting to get translucent and a little brown in spots.

Add the beef. Stir and toss until the beef starts to get browned and crispy in spots. How browned and how crispy are up to your personal taste. Depending on how much beef you have and how large your skillet is, you may want to do this in two batches; it browns easier and more quickly if it's not crowded.

KayB, I made this yesterday and it was really delicious. The "ropy" texture from boiling and then frying was really amazing. I've eaten tacos and other street food stuffed with similar fillings and always wondered how they got it to taste quite like that. Thanks for clearing up the mystery! I followed your suggestion and served it with a bean, corn and avocado salad and brown rice cooked in the broth from boiling the steak, with some coconut thrown in. Those were perfect sides - my guests gobbled it up. Thank you so much!

So glad you enjoyed! You can also boil and shred the meat, and then fry it later, which is another plus; I often boil some on the weekend, and then it's a real quickie to marinate (I warm it back up in some boiling water and drain first) and fry -- put it in to marinate when you get home from work, and by the time you change your clothes, fix a drink, and throw together some sides, it's ready to fry!

When I saw the street vendor in South Beach do it, it was apparent to me that the meat had been boiled; it was a gray, stringy mass (and quite unappetizing!). But seeing the "magic" when it was browned on a hot-hot-hot pan with the onions and stuffed into a Cuban roll and sprinkled with a little lime juice made me a believer. So I commenced hunting down recipes and the rest was just tinkering with seasonings until I got it the way I wanted it.
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